Remember Him
by doctorsasylum
Summary: The Doctor has to leave the Ponds, but not just because he is dying. He needs to save the world, and erase his legacy on it.


**(Author's Note: I am not a professional writer. So bear with me at this.)**

It has been a couple of weeks since the Ponds last lived a normal life (actually, a couple of weeks they've been travelling with the Doctor), if you call having a little visit from an Ood and a heartbreaking divorce 'normal'.

The TARDIS parked right on their street. Being the gentleman that he is, the Doctor held the door open for his companions. He forced himself to smile.

"Here you go then, back to the old life of the Ponds," he says with such enthusiasm. Of course, the two knew him so well that they know there's a sad man behind the enthusiast they're seeing now.

The Doctor stared out at the sky. Oh, how he wished they could see more of the universe. But they can't anymore. It would be more dangerous for them. Out of the blue, the Doctor winced and he tried to hide the pain.

"Doctor," concern is in Amy's voice, "what is it?"

He straightened up, "Nothing, I'm fine," he faked a smile.

Rory and Amy exchanged glances, there's something he's not telling them. On Amy's surprise, Rory said, "No, you are _not _fine. What is it?"

Dismissing Rory's question, the Doctor said, "Oh, blimey. Isn't it such a nice day? Good for a picnic or a trip to a park—what about it, eh?"

"O—okay." Amy said. _What is he up to?_

"You two go on, have a fantastic life while I'm gone!" he pointed to his box, "I'll go back in there."

Hand in hand, the Ponds turned to their house while the Doctor approached his police box.

_Will I say it now? _he asked himself.

_Well, when else could you tell them? _A voice in his mind says.

_I'm going to hurt them if I did,_

_Better a goodbye than no goodbye at all._

"Ponds," the Doctor stopped himself when he was about to open the door. He gulped, not sure what to say or how he'll say, "I'm not coming back."

Thank God her husband's hand in hers. Amy almost fell to her knees.

"What? What do you mean you're not coming back?! You always come back, Raggedy Man!" she was furious and she controlled her tears from falling.

The Doctor smiled. _Raggedy Man. _He liked that title. Childish, yes. But Amy Pond has called him that since she was seven, since she's started waiting for him.

Amy held her Doctor's eyes. There, he was somehow fading away.

"I'm dying," the daft Time Lord said. The Ponds were dumbstrucked. Amy let go of her husband's hand and rushed to the Doctor. She put her arms around him. How many times have they hugged? Countless times. This could be the last. She held him tighter.

"Shut it! Don't. Leave. Me." with every word, she sniffed. She couldn't afford losing him. After what must've been ages, she finally let go.

"You can't be dying." she said, almost trying to convince herself. Her husband looked down. Rory guessed it but he never really knew what it really was.

"It hit you." He faced the Doctor, "It hit you, didn't it?"

The Time Lord didn't say anything. Amy shook her head in disbelief.

About an hour ago, they accidentally went into a secret alien stronghold that, unfortunately, is currently plotting revenge against the Doctor. They've specialized a bullet that could 'kill' the Doctor. It still can make him regenerate, though. They've not yet solved that problem.

"Radiation. It could kill anybody, everybody. They shot a radiation bullet at me."

"How come you don't have any wound?" Rory asked.

"Because it's not exactly a bullet," he answered. _But it was a lie. I prevented a prophecy from coming true._

He could go back to the Ponds. But not in this form. Looking at the state of the two, it seems that a life with no Doctor is harder than no life at all. How come that he could save the whole universe but not take away the hurt from his beloved Ponds?

"Amy," he started, "you need to understand that I could die and I can live again and again—"

"Shut up!" the ginger shouted, "Shut up! Don't say that! I told you you can't just off at my house and say goodbye like we shared a cab!"

Seeing the red head break down in front of him hurts more than the fact that he's dying. He continued, "If I take you two with me, eventually, you're going to die! I can regenerate over and over until I can't but you, humans, won't! And I won't deal with the fact that someday, in a land far away from your home, one of you would be dead and I would be the man to put you in that place!"

Amy was about to fall to her knees. But the Doctor caught her arm.

He smiled faintly, "Gotcha," he whispered.

Rory walked towards the two, "Promise her you won't forget us," his voice was steady as he made the Doctor swear.

He looked straight into Amy's green eyes with his full of determination and fierce with pride. "I promise I will never, ever forget you. Besides, how could I forget?"

Amy gave him a hug, "Make sure you do, Raggedy Man."

With Amy still around his arms, he looked up at Rory Williams. Weak as he may be to other people, that man is one of the greatest people he's met. He could wait two thousand years for Amy and even sacrifice his humanity—to be a Dalek—for her. In his eyes, he saw what he always do: doubt behind determination. But right now, there's more in there: bravery.

The two of them held this gaze. Between unspoken words, the Doctor tells those eyes to take care of his family. Not just Amy, but Melody and himself too.

After a while, Amy let go and Rory held her hands again.

_You all need a hand to hold. _The Doctor remembered himself saying this. Right now, a hand would be lovely. But he has to go.

"Good bye, Ponds." He waved at them effervescently, taking in the sight that is the Ponds together – holding hands, smiling, hair flying in the wind.

They waved back and finally let tears fall.

The lone Time Lord went back to the TARDIS. With his last strength, he set the TARDIS to go.

The Ponds stepped back as the blue box began to melt away. It's usually a beautiful sight. But now that they know they will never see it again, it brings nothing but grief. The sound of the TARDIS' engines was the sound of hope. And once it's gone, and so is the last image of the box's headlight, Amy let out terrible, desperate sobs.

Seeing his wife like this kills Rory. They've lost the Doctor, he can't lose the old Amy now. He put his arms around her shoulders and she put hers around his waist.

Rory kissed the side of her head, "Come on, I'll make you some tea."

He escorted Amy to their house. For a short moment, he looked back the spot where the TARDIS faded and wondered where it'll land next.

But for now, he has to be strong for the two of them, because they've lost their Raggedy Doctor, and he's not coming back for them.

* * *

Being alone again with his box, the Doctor had his eyes red and puffy from the crying. This wasn't the first time of course. Leaving a companion behind is not new to him. He's left dozens of people who traveled with him behind.

But each loss doesn't make it easier for the next. He once promised a seven-year-old girl five minutes. He made her wait for fourteen years. And now, he has to leave her and her husband.

He set the TARDIS to go. He's quite sure that the two will stay to see it fade away. Well, everybody who admires the Doctor does.

His box began its travel. He held on to keep himself from tumbling. It took a few moments and finally, it stopped.

But there was new sensation coming, the feeling of dying and being reborn…

* * *

He went back to that unknown planet. The ground is dense. It was a perfect place for the people of earth to call as their second home, but too far from where they are.

The cavern was dark except for the strip of light that escapes from the small opening. The American woman still sat there, muttering nonsense to herself. But he of all people knows that those muttering were the prophecies of the gods. She wears a dress from the early 1800s, tendrils of her brunette hair scatter around her face.

Apollo banished this woman to this cave with the curse of having the future of the whole galaxy seared in to her mind like a branding. Only another being with a true sense of isolation would be able to reach her. The god did not say that anyone could save her. She ages, but she does not die.

"I prevented the future," the Doctor said. The woman looked at him and she stopped her whispers. She squints to see better of his face.

"You've changed your face, old man." She speaks like a hundred voices were speaking through her.

He ignores her, "I changed fate itself. I intervened in a fixed time stream. And yet you are still here with your curse."

"Nobody can save me, Doctor. Not even the giver of the curse himself. I am forever shouldering the burden of the truth of the future." Her eyes are wide, making them greener than ever.

"It's a prophecy I changed! What happens to me now? I should be dead! I should've never existed! WHY AM I STILL HERE?"

The woman fell to her knees, and the Doctor rushed to help her. She writhed in his arms. Her eyes glowed brilliant green, lighting bits of the cave.

"The prophecy… is not over yet." Her voice, surprisingly, turned to normal. It was the first time for the Doctor to hear her true voice. It was soft to hear, one he could listen to for the rest of his life.

"Those who show mercy to the cursed shall be burdened. They will see beyond the present. They will remain in their prisons, isolated." She says with her last breath, "You now bear my curse, Doctor."

* * *

The sound of Melody's strangled cry awoke the Williams in the middle of the night. It took them just a fluid second to get out of the bed and rush to their seven-year-old daughter's bedroom.

Melody was under her sheets cowering. Her face is damp from both tears and sweat. Immediately, Amy put her hands around her daughter protectively. Rory checked the windows, which are closed, just as they should be.

"What is it, Melody? What scared you?" her mother asked in concern.

Reluctantly, her daughter answered her, "There was a man, mum..." Her voice was cracking and she let out terrible sobs. There was no sign that anything was stolen in Melody's room. Good thing that she wasn't even hurt by anyone. That would've been the worst that could happen.

Her father sat at the foot of her bed, "Darling, what did the man do? Who is he?" she shook her head simply, as if afraid to answer. Amy and Rory exchanged glances. They both have no idea what exactly is happening.

Another scream escaped from Melody. She pressed both palms to her ears, drowning out the sound of the world. She sobs, and her mother held her, trying to give her the sense of comfort.

_Memories… slipping away…_

"It will be alright, Melody, I promise." Rory assured her daughter. But there was no mistaking that he's worried. He held the eyes of his wife. Etched on her face are the same expressions as his – doubt and fear.

Then, Melody spoke the words neither of them could understand. She looked blankly straight, "The Doctor now bears the curse. And the universe shall forget his existence."

Amy kissed the side of her daughter's head. "Rest now, Melody. You need some sleep." She tucked her in, finally, even if they can hear their daughter's silent cries.

As she and Rory leaves the room, she left open the door just a crack, "The angels are watching over you, sweetie."

She then closes it completely. And Melody was left with the feeling that she lost everything she has.

The future ahead doesn't seem bright, anymore. But she closes her eyes, trying to keep the bad thoughts away.


End file.
